Gauge assembly for heel seat lasting machine



April 1963 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 3,087,175

GAUGE ASSEMBLY FOR HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE Filed 000. 3, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 fizz e/0X07 @606 52 lawiarz'azz ,4

A ril 30, 1963 .1. s. KAMBORIAN 3,087,175

GAUGE ASSEMBLY FOR-HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. :5, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 30, 1963 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,087,175

GAUGE ASSEMBLY FOR HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 3, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A ril 30, 1963 J. s. KAMBORIAN GAUGE ASSEMBLY FOR HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE Filed 001?. 3, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A ril 3 1963 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,037,175

GAUGE ASSEMBLY FOR HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 ml u enemas Patented Apr. 30, 1963 3,087,175 GAUGE ASSEMBLY FOR HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE Jacob S. Kamborian, 133 Forest Ave., West Newton, Mass. Filed Oct. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 142,683 17 Claims. (Cl. 12-10.5)

This invention relates to machines for operating on shoes and, in particular, to a lasting machine of the kind disclosed in application Serial No. 107,156, filed May 2, 1961, in the names of Jacob S. Kamborian and Henry v.d. Benken, which is provided with instrumentalities for applying pulling-over forces to the toe and forepart portions of an upper assembly mounted on a last, to stretch the upper tautly thereon and to shape the heel end and a counter, if the assembly includes a counter, to the last, clamping the upper to the last at the heel end to fix'its position, wiping the margin of the upper and counter against the insole to thereby last the heel end of the shoe, and adhesively attaching the lasted-in margin, including the counter, to the insole.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a heel-height gauge assembly for the aforesaid machine, operably associated therewith in such fashion as to expedite consistently mounting upper assemblies on the last in the correct position to obtain a snug fit around the throat of the last. Further objects are to provide a gauge assembly which will not interfere with the succeeding operations following disposition of the upper in its correct position on the last and which can be mounted on existing machines without modification of the latter.

As herein shown, the supporting means for the last normally occupies an extreme forward position with reference to the heel seat lasting unit, in which position the upper is placed on the last for endwise stretching preparatory to movement of the supporting means rearwardly into heel seat lasting position, wherein the forepart is stretched heightwise, the heel end of the upper is clamped about the heel end of the last, and then the lasting margin at the heel is-wiped inwardly over the insole and attached thereto. At this initial forward position it is important to adjust the heightwise position of the upper on the last, so that the top line ofthe upper will seat snugly about the throat of the last at the proper heightwise position and so that the correct lasting margin is provided for the heel seat lasting operation. Accordingly, a height gauge assembly is mounted on the frame, rearwardly of the lastsupporting means when the latter is in its forward position and at one side thereof, comprising a gauge element adapted to have contact with the rear end of the last at the neck and to be movable rearwardly to an out-of-theway position by movement of the last-supporting means rearwardly to the heel seat lasting position. The gauge element includes a gauge block having a concave recess adapted to fit the neck of the last at a position to support the top line of the upper correctly with reference to the throat of the last. The block is mounted on an arm, the latter being, in turn, pivotally mounted on the frame for movement forwardly and rearwardly. A spring, connected to the arm, normally urges it forwardly. An abutment fastened to the support and movable rearwardly therewith operates to displace the arm to an out-of-theway position. A vertically adjustable spindle on the assembly supports the arm for heightwise adjustment relative to the last and a limit stop, having an elongate hearing surface, provides for limiting forward movement of the arm throughout its heightwise adjustment.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings'wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the pulling-over-and heel seat lasting machine with which the gauging assembly is employed;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation showing the gauge assembly mounted in its operative position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the shoe showing the upper stressed lengthwise of the last by the front and side pinchers, with the gauge block of the gauging assembly in contact with the neck of the last below the top line of the pp FIG. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, of the upper on the last, showing the lastsupporting means, the front and side pinchers engaged with the upper at the forepart, and the gauge block engaged with toe heel end of the last below the top line of the upper;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the shoe and last after the upper has been positioned by the gauge and the shoe supporting means has been raised to bring the insole into engagement with the hold-down foot;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the shoe as it is about to be clamped by the heel-clamping pad;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section at the heel end of the last showing the heel-clamping pad and pressureapplying members in section;

FIG. 8 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the lasting margin at the heel end wiped inwardly and one of the wipers;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of FIG. 8, showing the wipers with the hold-down omitted;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of the gauge assembly removed from the machine;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the gauge assembly as shown in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is an end elevation as seen from the right side of FIG. 11.

The apparatus is identical with that shown in the abovementioned application to which reference may be made for the details of its construction and operation. It will suifice for the purposes of this invention to point out that the apparatus (FIGS. 1 and 2) has a rigid upstanding frame It provided with a base 12 and vertically spaced, forwardly inclined supports 14 and 16 mounting the operating instrumentalities, and the means for effecting their operation. The support 14 has on it a heel-lasting unit, including a heel-clamping pad 18 (FIGS. 2, 6 and 7), adapted to be moved forwardly relative to the heel end of a last-supporting upper to smooth the upper about the heel end of the last, pressure-applying members 29 (FIG 2 and 7) adapted to be brought into engagement with the heel pad following engagement of the latter with the heel to fix the upper in position, a hold-down 22 (FIGS. 2, 6 and 8) adapted to have engagement with the bottom of the shoe to hold it against heightwise movement and wipers 24 (FIGS. 8 and 9) for wiping the lasting margin inwardly over the bottom. The support 16 mounts a post 26 (FIGS. 1 and 2 movable upwardly and also forwardly and rearwardly about a pivot 28. The upper end of the post carries last-supporting means including a pin 3h (FIG. 2) for receiving the neck of a last L, bottom side up, with its heel end opposite the pad 18 but displaced forwardly thereof, a toe rest 25, and a pincher-carrying unit 32 (FIG. 1) including a front pincher 34 and side pinchers 36-36 for gripping the lasting margin at the tip of the toe and at the sides thereof. The unit 32' is movable forwardly, relative to the heel pin 30 on rails 38 (FIG. 1) carried by the upper end of the post 26, to stretch the upper lengthwise relative to the heel end of the last, thereby to seat the counter portion of the heel end smoothly about the heel end of the last, and is further movable vertically with reference to the bottom of the last,after the post has been moved rearwardly into heel seat lasting position and engaged with the hold-down 22;

3 to stretch the lasting margin heightwise with respect to the bottom of the last.

The aforesaid pinchers 34 and 36 are shown engaged with the margin of the upper in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the forwardly displaced position, wherein they operate to pull the upper lengthwise of the last L so as to stretch the back part of the upper snugly about the heel end of the last and with the lasting margin a projecting upwardly from the insole b which rests on the last preparatory to rearward movement of the last-supporting means adjacent the heel end lasting unit.

In order to eifect rearward movement of the post 26 it is pivotally connected to one end of a pi'tman 13. The opposite end of the pitman is pivotally and eccentrically connected to a crank 15, the latter being fixed to a shaft (not shown). An air-operated motor 17 mounted on the frame and connected to a rack 19 by a piston rod 21 effects vertical movement of the rack and hence swinging movement of the post about its pivot, by engagement of the rack with a gear fixed to the aforesaid shaft, as disclosed in the aforesaid pending application, Serial No. 107,156.

Heretofore, in the use of this machine, the upper has been adjusted on the last solely by estimating the amount of lasting margin projecting above the insoie, because of the fact that the last is bottom side up and the top line of the upper cannot be seen. It is apparent that, depending upon the experience of the operator, the upper may or may not be properly positioned with the result that the top line of the upper may or may not be properly seated on the neck of the last. This condition is aggravated by a too long or too short a lasting margin. It is the purpose of this invention to make it possible to place uppers of any given style or cut on the last in exactly the same position heightwise, that is, so that the top lines are always at the optimum position on the neck of the last without depending upon the skill of the operator and to provide means which may be adjusted for uppers of diiferent style.

For this purpose, as herein illustrated, a heel-height gauge assembly is employed as shown in FIGS. 2, 10, 11 and 12. The assembly, as shown in 1G. 10, is provided with a bracket plate 27 containing vertically disposed, spaced parallel slots 2% by means of which it is fastened to the frame It at the left-hand side of the last-supporting pin 30, as shown in FIG. 2. Bolts 31, disposed in the slots 29 and screwed into the frame, provide for adjusting the bracket plate heightwise. The bracket plate 27 has projecting forwardly from it a block 33 containing at its forward end a horizontally disposed slot 35 and a vertically disposed hole 37 passing through the slot 35. A post 39 is mounted in the hole 37 and is vertically adjustable therein by a knurled nut 40 disposed about it in the slot. A set screw 41 is screwed into the block so that its inner end occupies a slot 43 in the post and prevents rotation thereof. At the upper end of the post there is pivotally mounted a block 42. A gauge arm 44 is bolted to the block 42 and has a portion which extends from the block toward the right, as shown in FIG. 2, to a position behind the last-supporting pin 39. At the extremity of the arm 44- there is a gauge block 46 having a recess 48 of a contour corresponding to the rear end of the last at the neck, so that when the gauge block is pressed forwardly against the last it will fit closely about the neck, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. When the last-supporting means is held in its forward position the gauge is held in contact with the neck of the last by a spring 56 connected to the opposite end of the arm and to the bracket plate 27. Forward movement of the arm 48 is limited by a stop 52 fastened to the block 33 and an adjustable pin 54 threaded through the arm so as to have contact with the stop. The threaded post 39 and nut 40 provides for heightwise ad justment of the gauge relative to the last and the stop 52 is vertically elongated so that, in whatever position the gauge may be adjusted heightwise, the limit pin 54 will have contact with the stop plate. A spring-pressed ball 56 is set into the block 33 at one side of the bifurcation for engagement with depressions 58 in the nut 41 to hold it in any one of several positions.

After the upper has been properly positioned on the last according to the dictate of the gauge, the upper is stressed lengthwise and the last-supporting means moved rearrwardly to the heel seat operation. During rearward movement it is desirable to move the gauge to an inoperative position. To this end there is mounted on the last-supporting means adjacent the post a deflector element 69 which, in moving rearwardly with the post 26, engages the arm 44 and moves it out-of-the-way so that the successive operations can be performed without interference from the gauge.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a heel seat lasting machine, a frame mounting a heel seat lasting unit, a support on the frame for a lastsupported upper, said support being movable from a position forwardly of the unit to a position adjacent thereto for lasting of the lasting margin, a height gauge assembly comprising a gauge element adapted to have contact with the rear end of the last, when the support is in its forward position, to position the upper at the correct heightwise position on the last, and means operable, when the support is moved to said heel seat lasting position, to displace the gauge to an out-of-the-way position.

2. The heel seat lasting machine according to claim 1 further comprising means mounting the gauge assembly on the frame rearwardly of the support at one side thereof, means pivotally mounting the gauge element on the assembly for movement forwardly and rearwardly, and a spring normally urging the gauge element forwardly into engagement with the last when the last support is in its forward position.

3. The heel seat lasting machine according to claim 1 further comprising means supporting the gauge element on the gauge assembly for pivotal movement forwardly and rearwardly behind the last support, spring means for urging the gauge element forwardly into engagement with the last when the last support is in its forward position, and a limit stop for limiting forward movement of the gauge element.

4. The heel seat lasting machine according to claim 1 further comprising means supporting the gauge element on the gauge assembly behind the last support for yielding movement forwardly and rearwardly, and means for adjusting the heightwise position of the gauge element relative to the last.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gauge assembly comprises a bracket plate adapted to be secured to the frame at one side of the support, a spindle vertically adjustable on the plate, an arm pivotally supporting the gauge element on the spindle, a spring connected to one end of the arm urging the gauge element forwardly, and a stop having a vertically elongate bearing surface for limiting forward movement of the arm throughout its heightwise adjustment.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gauge assembly comprises a bracket plate adapted to be se cured to the frame at one side of the support, a block fixed to the plate, a spindle mounted on the block, a nut for efiecting rotation of the spindle to adjust its heightwise position, an arm pivotally supporting the gauge element on the spindle, a spring connected to one end of the arm normally urging the gauge element forwardly, and a stop having a vertically elongate bearing surface for limiting forward movement of the arm throughout its heightwise adjustment.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gauge assembly comprises a bracket plate adapted to be secured to the frame at one side of the support, a block fixed to the plate which is bifurcated and contains a hole which intersects the bifurcation, a nut disposed in the bifurcation, a threaded spindle situated in the hole and through the nut, an arm pivotally supporting the gauge element on the spindle, and a detent for holding the nut at predetermined positions.

'8. In a heel seat lasting machine, a frame mounting a heel seat lasting unit, a support on the frame, for a lastsupported upper, movable from a position forwardly of the unit to a position adjacent thereto for lasting of the lasting margin, a height gauge assembly comprising a gauge element adapted to have contact with the rear end of the last at the neck for engagement with the edge of the upper at the foot opening, to position the upper on the last at a predetermined heightwise position, and means operable, when the support is moved rearwardly to said heel seat lasting position, to displace the gauge to an out-of-the-way position.

9. A heel seat lasting machine according to claim 8, wherein the gauge element has a gauge block at its extremity containing a concave recess adapted to receive the neck of the last at the rear end.

10. In a heel seat lasting machine, a last support for supporting a last having an upper located thereon; a gauge cooperative with the last to locate the top line of the upper on the last, means yieldably urging the gauge against the heel of the last, and means for adjusting the position of the gauge heightwise of the last.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gauge has a flat surface substantially parallel to the Ibottom of the last, and a vertically disposed recess corresponding in curvature to the heel end of the last.

12. A heel seat lasting machine comprising: a frame; wiping means mounted in the frame; last supporting means, for supporting a last having an insole and upper thereon, mounted on the frame for movement from a forward position remote from the wiping means to a rearward position adjacent the wiping means; a gauge element mounted on the frame; means for urging the gauge element against the last when the last supporting means is in its forward position; and means operative during the movement of the last supporting means from its forward to its rearward position to displace the gauge element to an out-of-the-way position away from the last.

13. The lasting machine according to claim 12 further comprising: means for stretching the upper tightly on the 6 last when the last supporting means is in its forward position.

14. A heel seat lasting machine comprising: a frame; wiping means mounted on the frame; last supporting means, for supporting a last having an insole and upper thereon, mounted on the frame for movement from a forward position remote from the wiping means to a rearward position adjacent the wiping means; a gauge mounted on the frame; spring means yieldably urging the gauge against the last when the last supporting means is in its forward position; means operative to stretch the upper tightly on the last when the last supporting means is in its forward position; and a deflector mounted on the last supporting means in position to engage the gauge and move it away from the last during the movement of the last supporting means from its forward to its rearward position.

15. 'In a lasting machine having a last support for supporting a last having an upper located thereon: a block located rearwardly of the last support; a gauge bar mounted on the block for swinging movement about a heightwise extending axis; a gauge element on said gauge bar; means for yieldably urging the gauge element forwardly about said axis to force the gauge element against the last; and means for adjusting the heightwise position of the gauge bar.

16. In a lasting machine having a last support for supporting a last having an upper located thereon: a block located rearwardly of the last support; a post mounted in the block; means for adjusting the heightwise position of the post in the block; a gauge bar mounted on the post for swinging movement about a heightwise extending axis; a gauge element on said gauge bar; and spring means connected to the gauge bar operative to yieldably urge the gauge element forwardly about said axis to force the gauge element against the last.

17. The device according to claim 16 further comprising: a stop connected to the block; and means on the gauge bar operative to contact the stop and thus limit the extent the gauge bar may be urged about said axis under the influence of the spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,351,709 Ray June 20, 1944 2,499,510 Kneeland Mar. 7, 1950 2,962,735 Gulbrandsen Dec. 6, 1960 

1. IN A HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE, A FRAME MOUNTING A HEEL SEAT LASTING UNIT, A SUPPORT ON THE FRAME FOR A LASTSUPPORTED UPPER, SAID SUPPORT BEING MOVABLE FROM A POSITION FORWARDLY OF THE UNIT TO A POSITION ADJACENT THERETO FOR LASTING OF THE LASTING MARGIN, A HEIGHT GAUGE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A GAUGE ELEMENT ADAPTED TO HAVE CONTACT WITH THE REAR END OF THE LAST, WHEN THE SUPPORT IS IN ITS FORWARD POSITION, TO POSITION THE UPPER AT THE CORRECT HEIGHTWISE POSITION ON THE LAST, AND MEANS OPERABLE, WHEN THE SUPPORT IS MOVED TO SAID HEEL SEAT LASTING POSITION, TO DISPLACE THE GAUGE TO AN OUT-OF-THE-WAY POSITION. 